Tabitha “Tab” Boyle, EMT-P, BSN
About Becoming a Leonard A. Lauder Fellow
Where She’s Coming From
Boyle grew up in Newark, New Jersey but now lives in Philadelphia, where she has served as the Paramedic Chief for the Philadelphia Fire Department, overseeing the Emergency Medicine Services operations. She has 20 years of experience as a paramedic and has a background in nursing and community paramedicine; she also served as the Philadelphia Eagles player infusion nurse for the 2018 and 2019 National Football League seasons.
Growing Needs
When it comes to underserved populations, the Kensington neighborhood in Philadelphia comes to mind—and Boyle has been involved with providing emergency medical services (EMS) to this area, particularly to opioid use disorder patients, through her role with the Philadelphia Fire Department. She says, “Running a multidisciplinary team in Kensington for the fire department opened my eyes to the unmet needs of this growing population.” Via her work with the Mobile Integrated Healthcare unit, helping to identify and mitigate the root causes of increases of EMS demand, her interests have grown to center working in substance use disorder recovery and advocating for competent and compassionate care for that population.
Hometown Proud
Philadelphians are proud of their sports teams, and Boyle is no exception. She had an opportunity to support the Philadelphia Eagles in a unique way: as the player infusion nurse for the team. She says, “The Philadelphia Eagles hired me on in 2018. I spent two magical seasons embedded in an NFL team, traveling to games with the team, watching from the sideline, and getting to know the players, coaches, and staff on a personal level.”
Finding The Drive
Boyle’s first stop when she was named a Fellow was her mother. She says, “My mom was the first person I called. Her love and support are a big part of what drives me, and she couldn’t be prouder of this fellowship.” Her second call was to her former partner in AR2, the Kensington team she had the honor of running to provide care for opioid use disorder patients. “We make a great team and anticipate working together in Kensington after my licensure.”
One of the biggest challenges working in the field of substance use disorder is overcoming stigma. Educating the public and key stakeholders on the biopsychosocial roots of substance use disorder is an important way to overcome this challenge.
